Here’s how to actually smash your reading week as a Liverpool student

Ah, reading week. If you’re blessed enough to have a whole seven days of blissful peace and unlimited pints without the fear of missing your 9am tomorrow, reading week is the break that we all definitely need at this point in the semester. It’s easy to convince yourself that you’ll easily fly through the mountain of reading you’ve got to do, or that you definitely learn something from watching lecture recordings on double speed – but we all know it’s not that simple.

You’ll embrace the late nights and even later wake ups, go out on a weekday that you normally can’t make, and completely ignore your deadlines until you realise they’re only 24 hours away. You’re faced with the classic angel-versus-devil debate on your shoulders. Do you owe it to your lecturers to catch up on their wisdom and knowledge that you’ve ignored all year? Or is it time to initiate that academic comeback and get ahead for the rest of the year?

We haven’t got the answers to that debate, but we have got some advice from a second year student who has used her reading weeks both productively and (very) unproductively.

Don’t leave your work till the last minute

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Duh, obviously, everyone will complain, but it’s easier said than done. I know a week sounds like a long time, but it’s not and goes by very quickly. Try and stay productive at the beginning of the week and leave the fun stuff till the end as a celebration. You can reward yourself after a long week of academic strain and eating pesto pasta for the fourth time in seven days, and it’ll make it all worth it. Trust me on this one – I’m speaking from experience here – applying for and relying on extensions which aren’t even guaranteed is not fun and can be risky! It only adds to the stress of having to write 3,000 words in less than a day.

Stick to a structure

Don’t worry, I won’t tell you to make a revision timetable. However, it’s good to adhere to some form of structure, whether that be loosely following your timetable and studying when you have a lecture or waking up at 10am every day. When you’re living with other people it gets far too tempting to yap in the kitchen for hours on end, or sneak off to the pub for just one drink and end up at Heebie Jeebies.

I know all you want to do is lay in bed and do nothing, but try and incorporate that with something somewhat productive. For example, if I’m having a morning lie in, I’ll watch a film production of one of my core texts that I’m supposed to be reading, but inevitably won’t.

Try to meal prep

Not to get all gym lad on you, but when people say meal prepping changed their life, I fear they might have been right. Using some of your time to batch cook some easy meals that you can store in the freezer is a fun distraction from the essay you started six hours ago – and you get plenty of tasty food out of it too. Something like a chilli con carne keeps super well and is perfect for when you get back from a busy day at uni and can’t be bothered to cook. Fuelling your mind with good food actually works – maybe they were right after all.

Sticking a whole meal in the oven or microwave when you get back from the Sydney Jones at 8pm is a lifesaver, and it gives you more time to sit on TikTok in your outside clothes before getting into bed.

If you need to go home, do it

Who needs to meal prep when you can just get your family to do the cooking for you? Go home for reading week and use the excuse that you have too much work to do, so your parents can do everything for you! Plus you’ll be able to make the most of all the expensive items in the shop that you usually leave out your food shop when your bank account is the one involved. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to bring some back too.

Sometimes you just need a breather. It’s so easy to get burnt out during deadline season and home comforts are never too far away – it’s worth the journey if you can make it, and you’ll head back to Liverpool feeling refreshed for the new term.

Make time to see your friends

If you are staying in Liverpool, it’s important to see your friends. Even if you have lots of work to do, you should still make the time to check in with your mates. Combine the two and go on a study date together. If you’re stuck for ideas, or perhaps you’re sick of the Sydney Jones, spots like Black Cat, Liverpool Central Library and Press Bros are ideal for a change of scenery.

The Picton Reading Room in the Central Library will fulfil all your dark academia needs. However, it is deadly quiet in there, so if you or your friend is a yapper, you should definitely study in a different room. All of Liverpool’s cafes are perfect for working through your dreaded to-do list, and you can sit with a coffee and chat to your heart’s content.

Get out of the house

It might seem like an obvious one, but sacrificing the sanctuary space of your bedroom to piles of notebooks and general mess just to get an assignment done is so not worth it. If you’re not taking a break from sitting in bed on your laptop to head to the library, make time in your day to go for a wander or get your body moving. A touch of exercise during the week is enough to refresh your brain and brighten your day, even if you do have bed hair and bags under your eyes.

It might not be wise to sacrifice your study time to standing in the queue at Lunko on Lark Lane, but having a stroll around Sefton Park or walking down to the Albert Dock to reconnect with nature can do wonders for you. We’re all stressed students running purely on caffeine and a strong sense of hope – grab yourself a pastry or a fun drink on your travels to give yourself that well needed boost.

Don’t be afraid to hit snooze on your 7am alarm if you need it, and prioritise reading week as a few days of self care and reflection. You’ve made it through the winter semester and you’re only a few deadlines away from beer garden weather and trips to Formby in the sun. Be proud of yourself! If you’ve gotten this far, you can do anything.